Letting go of the “FML” mantra.

More times than I care to admit, three sneaky letters just barge right into my thoughts. These three little letters sound innocent, but they are terribly guilty.

They sound like: “Ef. Em. El.”

Otherwise known as “F my life.”

The vulgar acronym is so commonly used and accepted in popular culture that it rushes in and out of my thoughts before I have time to say “stop!” It occupies valuable space in my skull whenever life doesn’t go according to my plans.

Like when my husband has to work until 11 p.m. Or when the dirty laundry never stops growing. Or when I get an “!” on an email at 4:59 p.m. on a Friday.

All are reasons why I get frustrated when reality doesn’t match my wishes. But the severity of the phrase doesn’t really sink in until you think about it this way:

The only reason we have this life, this breath, is because Jesus Christ suffered a brutal death on the cross, for us. No matter what kind of “hell” we’re going through, it doesn’t even come close to comparison. He was whipped, beaten, physically destroyedon that post. He died and even spent some time in hell, for us. Not the fake hell that we create in our minds when life seems oh-so-terrible, but real hell. Like, your worst nightmare times about 1,000,000… and then some.

He did this out of pure love. So to “F” your life, the very gift He gave you, you’re basically doing the opposite of what He commanded – to love.

Next time those three pesky letters cross my mind, I’m going to redefine the F.